Mini Suite Apartments

The Eastside (Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond, Issaquah) has experienced significant growth over the past few years, and lower income workers and students who worked here have traditionally traveled significant distances to be able to afford housing while still remaining employed in the region. Developers conceived of the mini suites idea supposedly to address the need for affordable housing here on the Eastside close to work. The spaces promised to be safe, clean, convenient, and most of all, affordable.
So when I toured the second apartment building to go up in Redmond recently, I had very high hopes. It advertises community art space, a SPIN garden, and other shared spaces – becoming common among newer apartment complexes. I’d been helping junior interns with their housing needs for years, and with patience and diligence, even recently have found outstanding deals as close as Kirkland, East Bellevue, and Downtown Issaquah – studios, mother-​in-​law units, and small one-​bedrooms for between $ 650 and $ 850 for roughly 400 — 720 square-​feet, including water, sewer, & garbage. The Redmond mini suites we looked at were roughly 160 — 250 square feet of living space, including a private shower and a sink, counter, and mini fridge reminiscent of what college students often keep in their bedrooms. These spaces rent for about $ 700 (as we’ve followed the community’s development, we’ve noticed the rental prices creeping up and new references to various fees), give or take depending on the actual square footage of the area, and come furnished with a twin sized bed and small desk/​chair.
We were glad to see that a developer in the region has chosen not to place unsightly, unsanitary, noxious, allergenic carpets on the floors. The dorm room type apartments, we were told, will all have hard floors – whether that’s poured concrete or another surface, our tour guide didn’t know. As an added bonus, the community administrators plan to include Internet usage in the base rent. But we were disappointed to learn that, after advertising «all utilities included,» there is nevertheless a «usage fee» on top of the rent, supposedly, our tour guide told us, to cover electricity and water. I believe those are utilities, so «all» utilities are not included. Also, if you have to travel in to work and must therefore keep a car – many employees and students work outside of the Eastside’s limited public transportation hours – there’s a parking fee of $ 60 for shared space (you must arrange for access to your vehicle with another resident who parks in front of or behind you – rather awkward) or $ 100 for a guaranteed access space.
These mini suites (more aptly, «micro» suites) aren’t so much a home as a way-​station, as the several other young people touring the facility with me all attested: they were planning to stay only long enough until their significant others and they could arrange for a «proper» home (their word, not mine). Residents certainly haven’t the room for many personal effects. I can’t imagine working adults with personal lives living and entertaining in 150 square feet, or even in the more luxurious 250 square feet. But the killer for us was the cost: $ 720 for base rent + $ 30 for the «free» utility fee + $ 100 for parking – or about $ 850 – might seem like a terrific deal on the Eastside, but the fact is I continue to find deals in the region at that figure which don’t require a resident to live a monastic life. Sure, in traditional apartments residents must pay for electricity and Internet access on their own, but in exchange for these additional expenses they gain a true apartment space, not an anemic, though modern, dorm room.
Great concept, but for the lilliputian space, I’m confident affordable housing seekers can still do better. Overall, we’re disappointed this is the best pricing structure developers could come up with.